Box lid fastener



Dec. 15, 1959 y A. cLAuD-MANTLE BOX LID FASTENER .2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledSept. 25, 1956 ATTORNEY Dec. 15, 1959,` A. cLAun-MANTLE- BOX LID'FASTENER 2 Sheets-Sneekl 2 Filed Sepl'.. 25, 1956 INVENTOR ATTORNEY fmeans forV the sealing of `the container.

containers made of'metal, fiber material havel been *.used, andfasteners havelbe'en 'emzzployed with.' such containers A"BXLIDFAS'I'ENERL Arthur `cnud-,1i/ninna, mmbuu, conngassignnr fo Th@lBassck'Company, Bridgeport,"Conn., a corporation .with acontainer-where'an air-tight seal is tobe provided between the lower:container section or, box body and the -upper section or lid, thesealing effect being achieved by the compression of jone or morelgasketmember linterposed between the bodyand the lid. Y ,I

One of theobiects of thepresent invention jris to `pro- Uniedsas hippingand storing t vide an effectivefastener forthistype ofjcontainer` bywhich the,-,contentsjijf` the container aresbetter than has-beenpossibleheretoford t Another` object lisjtomake` 'tpossible bring`protected bout for the purposesnientioned above. Y i i A further purposeis to provide-,improved lmeans for controlling ordimiting the pressureapplied to tithe gasket It is alsofa purpose offr the .inventionto,providea fastener of relatively simple form which` can, be,v con-kvenientlygoperfated` for lockingthe'box and releasing the lid from theboxbody and in which in thelclosed position of thebox the latter, 'evensubjected to rough, handling and other adverse conditions, vwiil inothaveitsprotective A further laim Ofiline ,invention ist@ prdvidaan"proved formlof fastener that Vis well adapted .td thuses `abovementioned and a number of others.` A

in the accompanying drawings:`

Fig. 1 is a face view of a portion of'a box equipped?? inven-` with a`,sealing device ,or fastenerzembodyingthe tion, the fastener being 'inthe closed or sealingposition;

the requisite compression of the gasket means employed, i

Fig. 4A show samodiedform of memberl for.secur'iiig` the'lowerWOrmWheelto'thebase orlowenbracket;

`Fig. 5 is a view similar to `I ig.` 3, showing the-,fastener inthereleased `position" Fig'. 6-"is a fragmentarywiew d f'th'e; upper end iof the Fig. 7 is aperspective view of ya box equipped` withv fasteners'of 'the'kindi showniin ther preceding' views;

Fig. 8 -isa side-elevationgpartly in section, of'a'modified formvoff'fas'tener',` showing the fastener inthe closed y position;

Fig. 9 is 4a faceview of the fastener; and

Fig. 10' isa detail fview of one ofthe worin wheels used in this form.'l i i`l For the `protection oflscientiic instruments,` aircraft parts,and other parts orfapparats requiring 'protection corrosion, as well `asvibrationiand shock, glass orfother suitable protection from roughhandling,

which are" adapted" to exert "i Apressure on Itheclosure means for suchboxes or containers have been flower-*bracket portion or base isuxedtothev box body at yfurthercomprises a member in gasketl-cmpressing fzs,,andthe shoulder zsis in Vlcpvverand inner surfaces. i 'basan uprightwall`31 which` is formed to present an inand ,is bent up to present aU-shape 4laterally v'from thehbox structure,

i 2,916,901 yPatented Dec. 15, 1959 ice 2 gaskets or like sealingmembers. However,

`open `to certain objections which it is an object of this invention toovercome. A typical container of this genyeralfclass is yshown in Fig.7, and in this case thebox has-a1 lid, which is relatively deep so thatit is similar in forinto the box body or lower section.` This container`is shown merely by way of example, and by way of example thedrawingshowsthe container equipped at each V.ofthe four faces` with threevfasteners embodying the invention. :Between the `box body and lid anelastic gasket member is interposed which is Vplaced under compressionwhen and as the fasteners are placed in the closed or locking position.

`In, this particular form a flat, elastic gasket member,

whichmay, be a continuousrmember extending around the box, rests on ashouldered portion provided on the `wallof themetal box body, and themetal box lid is equipped with a compressing portionadapted to contacttheupperA faceof the gasket. The fastener comprises a member whichin'this form the exterior thereof, and it the nature of a bracket orkeeperv applied to the -upper section or lid -at the exterior thereof. Alaterally swingable hook member has a pivotally mounted lower end`through which it is connected indirectly to the lower Abracket memberor base, and the `upper enl of the hook is adapted to cooperate with thehpperjibracket memberfin closing and releasing the lid. BetweenthelQwerend of -the hook and the upper partof thetlower bracketvor baseisvplaced a gear lhousing con- Ataining'gear means forv effectingengagement and release Aof the separate box parts Infthe drawingsVtheibox Ycated at 20, theilid` Vor (which may extend continuouslyaroundthe box) at 22,

as hereinafter described. j

body or lower section is-indiupper section at 21, the gasket thev lowergasket-supporting shoulder Vat 23, the upper portion at 24, the bracketcarried by the lid at 25, the laterally swingable hook member `at '26thelower bracket member or base carried by 'the box body at 27, and thegear housing at 28.

.Theabox body in this form has an upright metallic wall E i i one piece.with this wall and extends inwardly therefrom-,as shown in Fig. 2, andfrom the shoulder 23 a short lip 30 isextended upwardly so as to providewalls supporting `The upper section or lid 21 wardly"r extending,substantially rectangular partor .shoulder 32 presenting" a channel atthe face of the box 'and providing two horizontal portions and an innerver-- tical!" portion.

tioned gasketfaces, with a portion' of this downward extensionadapted'to slide over theouter box face in moving the parts intoth'position shown in Fig. 2. By this construction the gasket can beenclosed and lsupported and the lid portion of the box 'can be guidedinto place by the upwardly extending inner lipon the body portion and bythe downwardly extending ou'ter portion 33.

The upperbracket member 25 is made of sheet metal in horizontal section,the' same having walls parallel to each other and extending this bracketmember being rigidlyxed tothe lid member. The connection between thebracket member and the lid member is preferably effected by welding, aportion of the `back wall 'of the bracket member being welded to the lidabove the abovethe gasket 22 along its 3 mentioned channel portionthereof, as indicated at 34, and another part of the bracket beingwelded to the lid member at a point below the channel, as indicated at35.

The preferred shape of the furcations or side walls of vthe bracketZS-is as shown in Fig. 3, these side walls each being provided near theupper extremity withca notch 36 which cooperates with the swingable hookmember 26 in the manner hereinafter described.

The lower bracket member or base member 27 s similar to the bracketmember 25 in that it is of U-shaped cross section with laterally andoutwardly extending side walls 27a. Integral with lthis last-mentionedbracket at the inner or connecting portion of the U is an upwardextension 37 in the nature of a. plate which, through a poi'- tion ofits height,.lies in contact with the wall of the box body. At its upperend this extension is bent laterally away fromthe box wall to provide anoffset part-38. This part 38 extends under portions of the side walls ofthe axis at right angles The worm' 43 is the outer face of rotation of asuitable key wrench.

The worm gears 41 and 42 are received in upper and lower bores 41a and42.a extending through the housing -28 from side to side, and the worm43 vis "received Vand -operates in a narrower connecting Achamberedportion 43at of the housing'located between the above-mentioned boresand communicating with the 'opening 44.v

shows a modification of the arrangement just described. In Fig.l 4A thepin 50 has a rivetls'haped head Slat one end and is provided 'with anannular groove 52 near 'the opposite end. A laterally slidable collar 53may be eri-- gaged with the groove 52 to maintain the Vpin S0 intheassembled position. Y A i As is apparent from Fig. 2, thelowerends'of'the duplex hook member are enlarged and rounded, as shown'at 26h, and extend over the open sides of the gear housing so as 'toenclose the gear 4l. The worm 43 is, lin Van. enclosedv portion orchamber in the housing openfat.y theforwaidface of the housing where theopening 44 lisfprovided, this opening being of less diameter thanthe'worm and the arrangement being such'that, when the wormis placed inits working chamber or space, it isheld'against 4 endwise movementrelatively to the housing owing to the .fact that the worm has end facesabutting the inner surfaces of the housing, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.After the pin 46 has been placed through the upper gear and through theswinging lever, the ends of the pin are riveted over to provide apermanent connection of the gear to the lever. n

When the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 theeccentrically mounted pins in the worm gears are relatively close toeach other, and the catch lever is vheldin a lowered position in whichAits hook is held in locking engagement with the notched upper bracket orkeeper member 25. In this position the lever body'is sloped slightly inan upward and leftward direction (Fig. 2) so that its upper end is quiteclose to but out of contact with the wall of the lid. Release of thefastener is effected by inserting a key wrench 54 into the worm, as

shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 5, and rotating the worm. lThe wormhas ka hexagonal socket 55 into which the vwrench passes after movingthrough the opening 44.

The wrench is turned to rotate the worm and worm gears and move theeccentrically mounted pins to the releasin Fig. 5. This action causesthe gear as a result of the rotation of the lower gear'and the catchylever yto be moved upwardly relav tively-to the housing as a fresult ofthe rotation of the edge 40 adapted to be received inA the "it may begrasped alength less than the 'n crownedfront face.

v'which the worm wheels are received and to which the upper gear. Whenthe catch lever or swinging bolt is thus raised to the position shown infull lines in Fig. 5, at its upper end to move it pivotally to thebroken-line position shown in Fig. 5. -In this latter 'position thehooked end ofthe catch lever is out of the path of the upper bracket,'and the lid, when the various e "fasteners have been 'so manipulated,ycan be lifted olf the body.' 35

It is important to notethat'when thef parts are moved 'from'the'releasing position'shown inFigfS to the fastenin'gand sealingposition shown in Fig. 2 the upper brack- -on thel box will be spacedapart, there will be Aprovision for maintaining a's'ubstantially4uniform and effective compression ofthe gasket throughout the gasket(sealing) area.`

The 'sides of the housing 28 are ofupwardly elongated approximatelyelliptical shape and it has a planar rear face that merges into roundedupper and lower end` portions, the latter merging into a somewhat domedor The upper and lower bores in worin wheels conform extend through thehousing from side to side and are interconnected by the chamber portion43, which extends from side to side o f the housing so as to be open atboth side faces. The worm 43 has diameter of the worm wheels so as.to'iit wthinthe worm space and abut the surfaces of the forward andrear walls of the housing. In assembling the gearing in the housing,they two worm wheels with the interposed worm can be placed in thehousing as a unit by movement of such u nit into the housing from asdescribed above.

The teeth of the worm wheels may be cut :in substantially vcylindricalsteel blanks, and inthe form which has J'llt. bll-dcribed these 'teethextend; overv only.-a; part bf the blank width, leaving plain4cylindrical shoulders at the side portions of the gear. The holes forthe fastening pins should in each case be in line with the center of thegear and one of the gear teeth. For obtaining a smoothly workinggearing, the gears may have a plating of cadmium, and this will alsoprevent corrosion. Cold rolled steel may be used for making the gearblank. The worm is preferably made of steel and hardened, and is alsoplated with cadmium. The socket in the worm into which the key wrenchcan be introduced is of hexagonal shape and extends through asubstantial portion of the worm length. Y

' `By making they upper and lower brackets of the shape above described,with flanges extending outwardly from the box wall and with bodieswelded to the respective box parts, the box structure upon which thefastening parts are mounted is made very strong and durable, and evenwhen the box or container is subject to very rough usage there will notordinarily be any bending, denting, or like injury to the boxwhen it hasbeen loaded and closed. In this form the fastener is applied to the boxexteriorly, but in some cases it may be applied interiorly. Where thefastening means is of the kind described, the metal container may bereused so as to remain in service for a long period.

ln the form which has just been described, the pin means, comprising anut 49 attaching the lower gear wheel to the base bracket, provides fordetachment of the gear housing from said bracket and hence said bracketmay be attached separately to its supporting wall, which is a matter ofconvenience in installing the fastener structure, the gear housing andits connected parts being attached to the bracket as a later step. Thesesame conditions obtain when the alternate form of assembling pin, shownin Fig. 4A, is used.

It is understood from what has been said that, when the box is in theclosed and sealed condition shown in Fig. 2, upward pulling or pushingeffort exerted on the upper section or lid is substantially in thedirection in which the fastening lever 26 is disposed and enjoys nomechanical advantage, and that on the other hand the worm gearingresisting unlocking or opening movement has a large mechanicaladvantage. As a result, the fastener provides maintenance of most secureclosing and sealing of the container.

It has been brought out above that, on rotation of `the worm by the keywrench, one of the worm wheels engaging the worm can be rotated to movein a locking or unlocking direction a fastening member having eccentricand pivotal connection to the worm wheel.

In Figs. 8, 9 and 10 there is shown a modification of the fastenerstructure. Here, as in the first form, the worm causes actuation of aswingable fastening member, but the device is used as a fastening meansfor` fastening an upwardly liftable member relatively to a lower memberin the nature of a stationary frame. Such a structure can be employed,for example, for locking a boat in fixed position on a trailer, onemember of the fastener being attached to the transom of the boat and theother attached to the transverse member of a suitable cradle.

In this form a portion of the transom is indicated at 56, and this hasattached to it an upper bracket 57 in the form of a plate having anoutstanding lug 58 at the lower end. This lug 5S is adapted to beengaged by a hook 519 at the upper end of a swinging fastening leverl'60 corresponding generally to the previously described lever 26. Thelower bracket 61 is adapted to be bolted .to a cradle member 62. Thebracket 61 has a lower ;attaching flange, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9,integral with .a U-shaped upwardly directed body 63. 'lower bracket andthe fastening lever is a gear housing l64 proyided with a worm and wormgears similar to rthose described above. The connection of the fasteninglet/er with the upper gear wheel is similar to that previ- Between theously described, but in this case both of the worm gears have the formshownin Fig. 10, the gear being provided with integral outstandingtrunnions 65 adapted to be projected through holes in the associatedmember and riveted over, `as indicated at l66. OneI of the gear wheelsis shown in Fig. 10 byway of example, and in this form the gear teethare provided in a depressed portion or channel 67, the sidesl of thedepression or channel being chamfered or` beveled as shown.

In this form there isno stop for limiting the approaching movement ofthe upper structural member 56 toward the lower member 62. The structureis designed so that when the boat is placed in position on the cradlethe substantially upright fastening lever 60 will have its hooked upperend located slightly above the bracket lug 58, fastening of the boat in'position and the release of the same being obtained by rotating thegears in the manner previously described.

The form shown in the drawings are by Way of example only, and variousmodifications and changes in the details may be made without departurefrom the principles of the invention and the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A fastener such as described, comprising separate bracket membersapplicable respectively to upper and lower approachable wall elements,the upper bracket member being in the nature of a keeper and the lowerbracket member being in the nature of a base for the fastener, a gearhousing member containing upper and lower worm wheels and between saidwheels a worm to be rotated by a key inserted into said housing, and amovable fastener member t0 cooperate with said upper bracket member bylocking it relatively to said housing member, the respective worm wheelsbeing eccentrically and pivotally connected to said fastener member andsaid lower bracket member.

2. A structureas defined in claim 1, in -which said gear housing memberhas sides of substantially elliptical shape and through transverse boresaccommodating the respective worm wheels and in which said worm has itsaxis at right angles to a plane passing through the gear wheel axes andis received in a space or chamber open at the respective sides of saidhousing member.

3. A structure as defined in claim 1, 1n which said bracket members areprovided with cooperating stop j means to limit the approach of one wallelement toward the other.

4. A structure as defined in claim 1, in which the upper bracket memberhas at its lower part an outstanding lug to be engaged by said fastenermember and in which the lower bracket member is connected to the lowerworm wheel by an opstanding U-shaped part on said lower bracket member.

5. A fastener such as described, comprising a gear housing havingparallel elongated side faces and provided with through upper and lowerbores interconnected by a narrower chamber, said bores and chamber beingopen at said side faces, gearing in said housing comprising worm wheelsin the respective bores and a wheeldriving worm in said chamberaccessible for operation from the front of said housing, pivot membersfor connecting said respective wheels eccentrically and pivotally to anattaching plate and a swingable keeper-engaging fastener element, and anattaching plate and a swingable fastener element respectively connectedto said wheels by said pivot members, said pivot members having aposition in which they are in relative proximity to each other formaking said fastener element positionally operative, and anotherposition in which they are placed more remotely from each other formaking said fastener element inoperative.

6. A fastener such as described, comprising parallel worm wheels with aninterposed driving worm, a movable gear housing containing said wormwheels and worm, pivot members eccentrically mounted with the respectivewheels which .as the worm is rotated are moved relative one another, andfastener elements pivotally connected to the respective wheels by saidlpivot members, one of said' fastener elements being a mounting memberand the other being a keeper-engaging member.

7. A fastener such as described, comprising rst and second meansindividuallyapplicable to first and second approachable. elements to befastened with respect to one another, the rst means' being in the natureof a keeper and the second means being in the nature of a base for thefastener, a gear housing member containing upper and lower worm wheelsand a worm positioned between saidk wheels to be rotated by'a keyinserted into said housing,l and a movable fastener member to co-operatewith said rst means bv locking it relative to said housing member,l therespective worm wheels being ec:- centrically and pivotally connected tosaid fastener member and said second means.

References Cited n the-tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

